Sunday, June 29, 2008

Today's "rescue"

As Mike was mucking stalls "out back" this morning, he heard a racket in the aluminum rain gutter on the back of the barn. Since he had the ladder out to hang fly strips, he climbed up for a peek. On its back, trying mightily to right itself, was

a male Eastern hercules beetle, also called a rhinoceros beetle, or unicorn beetle (apt names all!)

Mr. Beetle was released in a brush pile, we hope to be fruitful and multiply. OK, hercules beetles don't really have a job in our pest management program (adults eat plant sap and larvae eat decaying wood) but you have to admit they are interesting to have around!


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